Clamp assembly



May 12, 1964 H. R. WENGEN 3,132,914

CLAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 29, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HTTO/P/VEYS CLAMPASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1961 ATTOR/Vt'V-S United StatesPatent 3,132,914 CLAMP ASSEMBLY Henry R. Wengen, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,assignor to Fargo Mfg. Company, Inc, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Aug. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 134,634 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-109)This invention relates to a functionally and structurally improved clampassembly primarily intended to connect tap-01f conductors withtransmission lines.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an assembly in whichthe tap-ofi? conductor may be firmly secured to permanent parts thereofin a manner such that the linesman need not fear that an accidentaluncoupling of the tap-off will occur at the time he is manipulating theassembly to associate it with a hot or transmission line; the conductorremaining as a permanent part of the assembly throughout the entire lifeof the latter.

A further object is that of providing an assembly which may readily bemanipulated by the linesman and which may be manufactured at nominalcost.

Moreover, by the present teachings, a structure is furnished such thatthe clamp may readily be electrically connected with or disconnectedfrom a transmission line without danger of damage to the latter incidentto arcing or similar causes.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attachedsheets of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of theinvention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an assembly in applied position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view taken along the line 2-2 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 in thedirection of the arrows as also indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an alternative manner of couplingthe assembly to a transmission line;

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view taken along the line 5-5 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view taken along the line 6-6 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 1.

In these views the reference numeral 10 indicates a hot or transmissionline and 11 one form of tap-off conductor. As shown especially in FIGS.1, 2 and 3, the assembly will include a main clamp involving an upperjaw 12 and a lower jaw 13. These jaws are disposed in opposedrelationship and are maintained in this position by convenientlyproviding as part of the lower jaw a rearwardly extending casing portion14 the interior of which defines in plan a rectangular space. Withinthat space a block 15 is slidably disposed to be guided by engagementwith the adjacent faces of the casing structure 14 and is integral withjaw 12. It is formed with a threaded bore 16' into which thecorrespondingly threaded shank 16 of an eye-bolt 17 extends. That boltmounts a collar 18 fixed with respect to its shank and rotatably bearingagainst the lower face of casing 14.

Downwardly extending portions 19 are conveniently included as part ofthe casing structure 14 and lie one to each side of the bolt shank. Theopening in the lower portion of casing 14 and through which the boltshank extends is unthreaded. A pin 20 may be mounted by one of theextended portions 19 to underlie the collar 18. It is, of course,apparent that in lieu of an eye-type bolt alternative units ma} besubstituted. However, it is in many respects preferred to utilize a boltof this type in that it lends itself to the technique commonly employedby linesmen in connection with the mounting of assemblies by the use ofa hot-line stick. It is also preferred as part of the assembly to employa spacer bar 21 intervening the jaws 12 and 13. These bars beingpreferably made of pure aluminum, they provide a short, high conductivepath between the transmission line and conductor 11 or its equivalent.This bar has rearwardly extending hook-shaped parts 22 whichconveniently mount grommets 23 of any desirable material. These bearagainst the side edges of flange portions 24 overlapped by the hooks 22to conveniently hold the bar against unnecessary shifting. 'Also it ispreferred that the upper jaw 12 be defined by a downwardly and forwardlyextending lip 25.

Now with a view to securing conductor 11 against detachment from theassembly, it will be observed that in the present exemplification lowerjaw 13 is provided with an extension 26 projecting laterally beyond theplane into which upper jaw 12 extends. This extension, as in FIG. 6,provides a lower jaw in the form of a grooved and thickened portion 27coextensive with jaw 13 which receives the conductor engaged by thatlower jaw. Portion 27 is preferably provided with an upwardlyextending1ip28 which defines the forward end of the conductorreceivingchannel. Also it is formed with a threaded bore which engages with thecorrespondingly threaded shank 29 of a bolt the head 30 of which extendsmaterially above part 27. A second jaw cooperates with the latter partand conveniently includes a body the rear edge of which extendsdownwardly as at 31 and the forward end of which terminates'in a part 32overlying the groove defined rearwardly of lip 28 within the thickenedportion 27. An upwardly flared bore 33 is provided within this upper jawportion and accommodates the shank 29 of the bolt; a washer 34 beingconveniently interposed between the upper surface of this jaw and thehead 36 of the bolt. The downwardly projecting part 31 bears against theupper face of lower jaw 27 which latter is preferably furnished with agroove 35 providing a fulcrum for part 31. It is apparent that upper jaw32 may be rocked around this point of pivotal coupling so thatconductors of different diameters may readily be ac commodated withinthe opposed jaw portions. So disposed, they may also be firmly clampedagainst displacement by simply tightening the bolt.

As is apparent, a tap-off conductor may be disposed without difiicultybetween the spacer bar 21 and lower jaw 13 to lie between the secondaryjaw 32 and body 27. Thereupon, by tightening bolt 29-30 this conductormay be clamped against displacement with respect to extension 26. Theassembly may thereupon be associated with a transmission line 10. If itis apparent in a given installation that the clamp will have to berepeatedly removed from and replaced in this association, then a.linesman will be aware of difficulties which may well be experienced asa consequence of arcing incident to this placement and replacement.Those difficulties will be evidenced by damage to the transmission line,which is to be avoided. If such a problem exists, then a stirrup member,as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, may conveniently be employed. That stirrupmember will be attached to the transmission line and the clamp assemblywill be applied to the bail.

Such a member may include an upper jaw 35' and an opposed lower jaw 36,together with a spacer bar 37 intervening these jaws. In common with theclamp struc ture as heretofore described, lower jaw 36 is convenientlyintegral with a casing 38 defining a rectangular interior configurationaccommodating a bored block 39 which may be keystoned with the casing tobe slidably accommodated therein. A bolt 40 extends into the bore ofblock 39 and has threads cooperating with the threads in that bore. Acollar 41 extends outwardly adjacent the lower end of casing 38 andforms a part of the bolt. A

Washer 42 preferably intervenes the edge of this casing and the collar.Conveniently, the lower end of the bolt terminates in an eye portion 43.

Downwardly extending fingers 44 are preferably integral withhousingportion 38 and underlie collar 41 to prevent its downwarddisplacement. Spacer bar 37 at its ends provides retaining elements 45.These receive the inwardly bent ends 46 of a ball 47. The terminalportions of this bail, as in FIG. 5, are non-annular or serrated (see48) and the adjacent surfacesof lower jaw 36 and spacer bar 37 mayinclude corresponding configurations. Thus, with a transmission line inposition and jaw 36 shifted towards jaw 35, it follows that the faces ofthe terminal portions of the bail will be engaged to prevent a swingingof the bail so that the latter will be retained in any position to whichit has been adjusted. Accordingly, it may extend outwardly anddownwardly, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the stirrup-clamp has beenmounted upon and secured against detachment from transmission line 10.

Again, it will be understood that if a stirrup unit is included as partof the assembly, as in FIG. 4, that due to the long contact area at theouter end of the bail one may be assured of a proper electricalconnection between the conductor 11 and the transmission line 10. Thiswill be especially true if the spacer bar 37 be of substantially purealuminum. Both in the case of direct application of the main clamp tothe transmission line 10, as in FIG. 1, or to the bail, as in FIG. 4,the lip 25, which is prefererably provided, will assure a ready supportof that clamp. Where frequent removal of the latter is not a problem,then it will be unnecessary to employ the stirrup unit. Where the latteris utilized, then damage to the transmission line will not occur due todismounting of the clamp assembly from that line. The secondary jaw 32is guided by an integral tongue 49 slidably bearing against the outerside face of portion 27 which will prevent its swiveling around bolt2930.

Now considering the application of the clamp assembly to eithertransmission line 10 or the bail 47 of the stirrup member, it will beappreciated that ordinarily a linesman will employ a hot stick which hewill couple with the end 17 of bolt 16 to elevate the assembly. In allinstances, conductor 11 will previously have been disposed between thejaws 12 and 13 and secured against movements or detachment from theassembly by tightening bolt 29-30 to draw the upper and lower jaws ofthe secondary clamp into intimate contact with conductor 11. As aconsequence of preferably employing an extended lip portion 25, nodifiiculty will be experienced by the operator in hooking the assemblyinto position. Thereafter, by rotating bolt 16, jaws 12 and 13 will bedrawn towards each other so that these jaws will intimately engage cable10 and conductor 11, with the intervening spacer bar pressed into firmcontact with the faces of these lines. While in certain instances thisbar might be dispensed with, it is preferred to employ it. With thisdisposition of the parts established, then the hot stock may beuncoupled from the assembly and a proper tap-01f will have beenprovided.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specificallyaforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction andrearrangement of the par-ts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined by the claim.

What I claim is:

In an assembly for attaching a tap-off conductor to a high voltage lineof the type including upper and lower clamping jaws and first attachmentmeans connecting said upper and lower jaws with said upper jaw shiftabletoward and away from said lower jaw and first shifting means forming apant of said first attachment means for shifting said upper jaw towardand away from said lower jaw that improvement consisting of alignmentmeans for initially aligning said tap-01f conductor with respect to saidclamping jaws and a conductor bar supported between said jaws andshiftable therebetween, said alignment means including a lateralextension of said lower jaw, a separate further jaw overlying saidextension, said lower jaw and said lateral extension providing anelongated seat for the tap-ofi conductor extending beneath the conductorbar and the further jaw, second attachment means connecting said funtherjaw and said extension with said further jaw shiftabl'e toward and awayfrom said extension, second attachment means for shifting said furtherjaw toward said extension for initially fastening said tapoff conductorto said assembly with said tap-off conduc tor held thereby adjacent saidlower jaw and beneath said conductor bar whereby said assembly can beattached to said high voltage line with said high voltage line betweensaid upper jaw and said conductor bar and said upper and lower jaws canbe brought toward each other by said first shifting means with said highvoltage line and said tap-01f conductor engaging said conductor bar inclamped relation.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,127,840 Church Aug. 23, 1938 2,159,154 Hixon May 23, 1939 2,422,332Becker June 17, 1947 2,679,032 Thomas et a May 18, 1954 2,698,422 TurnerDec. 28, 1954 2,811,703 Becker Oct. 29, 1957 2,858,522 Wengen et al Oct.28, 1958 2,885,653 Bethea et al May 5, 1959 3,121,601 Toedtman Feb. 18,1964

